One
of the founding fathers of the National Wrestling Alliance, Sam Muchnick gave
up his job as a newspaper sports writer to found St. Louis Wrestling Club, Inc.

Truly
regarded as the center of the wrestling world, Muchnick, who controlled the NWA
and the bookings of its World champion for many years, brought talent from
around the country to work his shows at the world-famous Kiel Auditorium, and
later the Checkerdome/Arena.

With
a popular television show called Wrestling
at the Chase, Muchnick promoted a product based on logic, respectability,
and credibility and was easily the most powerful man in the business during his
years as NWA president.

His
right-hand man Larry Matysik later started a non-NWA group called Greater St.
Louis Wrestling Enterprises which ran in opposition to Muchnick's old group,
which had been bought out by a consortium of partners including Verne Gagne,
Bob Geigel, Harley Race, Pat O'Connor, and Gene Kiniski.